The last fight of the undisputed three-division champion, Claressa Shields, brought an unexpected positive for the self-proclaimed GWOAT of boxing (Greatest Woman of All Time). Shields was placed under investigation after testing positive for marijuana following her victory overDanielle Perkins on February 3 in Michigan, a fight in which she unified the four heavyweight crowns.
The champion tested positive through a saliva sample she provided after the fight. Marijuana is banned in competition by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and is one of the reasons why, for example, the UFC disassociated itself from this organisation. The Michigan Commission provisionally suspended the boxer’s license to fight in the state and launched its own investigation into whether she should face any disciplinary action.
Although they are different cases, US sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson missed the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games after being suspended for a month after testing positive for marijuana in a drug test. However, Shields has had her doping suspension lifted. She denied taking the substance and claims that the amounts found in her body were “residual”.
According to the commission, she “presented evidence” on March 6 and “her conduct no longer represents an imminent threat to the integrity of the sport, the public interest or the welfare and safety of another competitor”. Although it did not specify, the boxer probably alleged that she had close contact with someone who had consumed the substance in question, as in voluntary tests before the fight she did not test positive. However, although her explanations have been accepted, she could still be fined or even have the fight declared a no contest, because the positive test did exist. This last assumption could invalidate her achievement in the heavyweight division.
In any case, Shields has been outraged: “I’m officially no longer suspended. How quiet now! They spoke very loudly to say that I ‘supposedly’ smoked marijuana and suspended me!” she wrote on social media. She has also threatened a change of scenery, motivated not only by this incident: “After dealing with what I’ve been dealing with, I’m considering moving out of the country, starting a boxing program in Africa and opening a school for underprivileged kids. The truth is that I don’t like the nonsense that’s going on in the U.S. There’s too much racism, sexism and, although everyone shouts ‘equality’, there isn’t. I’ve worked my butt off to get to where I am, and there are still people working countless hours to try to turn off my light.”
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